He did not say having no brakes makes you safer. He said it makes you RIDE safer. And i do in fact agree with the statement. When he was brakeless he probable rode slower, did less weaving in and out traffic and was generally more observant of his surroundings. You should try it. Its amazing what you do when you know you might not be able to stop quickly enough.
This is stupid. You may ride "safer" but the brakes guarantee YOUR safety. An accident is an accident and if you have to stop in case of an emergency, it doesn't matter how "safe" you're riding.